MIAA Basketball Committee: Garden, mask issues discussed

Two prevailing themes came out of Wednesday’s two-hour MIAA Basketball Committee meeting: there is a desire to have the TD Garden to continue to remain a part of the state tournament, and players/refs on the court shouldn’t need a mask.

After the MIAA approved a statewide format for all sports, concerns arose over scheduling postseason games at the TD Garden. MIAA associate director Peter Smith spoke about Lowell’s Tsongas Center as a possible state championship venue, saying they could accommodate three days worth of games.

Smith addressed potential issues with scheduling championship games at the Garden. With the statewide format, there is a consistency and philosophical question regarding who got to play there, unlike the past when the North and South sectional champions automatically went to the Garden.

Whitman-Hanson basketball coach and athletic director Bob Rodgers felt the postseason schedule provided enough leeway to get championship games at the TD Garden. He spoke about the excitement in communities that had the opportunity to compete there.

Tewksbury athletic director Ron Drouin said the committee should consider a rotation to ensure some games would be contested at the TD Garden.

“I love the Tsongas, it’s right in my backyard,” Drouin said. “But to have no access to the Garden, while the hockey (tournament) does, is not a good look for the basketball committee.”

The committee voted unanimously to put forth a proposal to the Tournament Management Committee which would call for some of the state semifinal games to be played at the Garden.

The present policy of making players, coaches and referees wear masks during games has been a major topic of conversation. Dighton-Rehoboth principal Dr. John F. Gould said the enforcement of mask rules has been inconsistent. “Many of our parents understand the issues, but those who don’t are very combative,” Gould said. “My athletic director (Doug Kelley) has received guff from parents.”

Rodgers made a motion that the committee go to the MIAA Board of Directors once again to eliminate masks for players on the court as well as the referees. That proposal passed 15-3.

“I believe the health of the student athlete is the most important thing,” Rodgers said. “The kids on the court should not be wearing masks – I don’t think it’s healthy with kids breathing into them. I think it should be up to the player on the court or referee to determine whether they choose to wear one.”

Regarding schools who do not play enough games to qualify because of COVID, committee member Jeff Newhall said schools can appeal if they wind up playing less than the qualifying number of games to be eligible for the state tournament.

Malden principal Chris Mastrangelo, the former boys basketball coach at Peabody, said any school that didn’t play the required amount of games due to COVID, but had a record of over .500 should be allowed to compete in the tournament without going through the appeal process. He went on to add any team below .500 who didn’t play the required amount of games should appeal.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3K892GA